Kesubos - Daf 77
- Repulsive men who are forced to divorce their wives
The second Mishnah on the Daf states: ואלו שכופין אותו להוציא – And these are the men whom we force to divorce their wives, מוכה שחין ובעל פוליפוס – a man smitten with boils, a man who has polypus, which is either a bad odor from the nose or bad breath, and the following men: והמקמץ והמצרף נחושת והבורסי – a gatherer of excrement, a refiner of copper, and a tanner. Rashi explains that these are repulsive professions, and she is not able to bear the odor. This is true whether the defects were there before they married, or they developed after they married. Rebbe Meir said concerning all of them, אף על פי שהתנה עמה – Even if he had stipulated with her that she would marry him despite his defect, she can say later, סבורה הייתי שאני יכולה לקבל – “I thought I would be able to tolerate it, but now I see that I cannot.” But the Chochomim say: if he made a stipulation with her, מקבלת היא על כרחה – she must tolerate the defect against her will, חוץ ממוכה שחין מפני שממקתו – except for a muche sh’chin, because by having relations with him, she causes his flesh to fall apart.
- The disease Raasan and why Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi learned Torah near those who had it
It was taught in a Baraisa: Rebbe Yose said: A zakein from Yerushalayim told me that there are twenty-four kinds of מוכי שחין, and concerning all of them the Chochomim said that marital relations are harmful for them, ובעלי ראתן קשה מכולן – and for those afflicted with raasan, marital relations are more harmful than the others. Rashi explains that raasan is parasite that lives in the space between the inside of the skull and a membrane of the brain. The Gemara explains that if a man and a woman had blood let and then they had relations, they will have children that are בעלי ראתן. Rav Pappa qualified this and said that this is only if they did not eat after they had blood let. The person afflicted with it will have teary eyes, a runny nose, spittle from his mouth and flies swarm around him. After the Gemara mentions Amoraim who took precautions from getting too close to those with raasan, it brings Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi, who stuck close to them and was involved in Torah learning. He said the passuk calls Torah, "אילת אהבים ויעלת חן" – A beloved hind, and she effuses charm. אם חן מעלה על לומדיה אגוני לא מגנא – If the Torah bestows charm upon those who study it, will it not protect them from disease as well? The mefarshim explain that if Torah imparts charm to one who currently does not have it, it will certainly protect those that already do have it.
- The story of Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi leaping into Gan Eden
The Gemara relates that when the time for Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi to die arrived, the malach Hamaves was told "זיל עביד ליה רעותיה" – Go and do for him as he wishes. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi requested he be shown his place in Gan Eden and that the malach give him his knife so no harm would come to him. When Rebbe Yehoshua was lifted above the wall to be shown his place, he leaped and fell to the other side, but the malach held on to his cloak. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi swore that he would not return. Hakadosh Boruch Hu told the malach that if Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi had ever taken an oath and then had it annulled, he must return, but if not, he could stay. Since he had never had an oath annulled, he was able to stay. Hakadosh Boruch Hu told him to give the knife back to the malach, since he needs to take the lives of others. The Gemara continues with an exchange that Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi had with Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, who was sitting on thirteen chairs of fine gold.
